


Kiss My Mask!

by asongofhopeandjoy



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blue Spirit Zuko (Avatar), Blutara (Avatar), Bromance, Drabble, F/M, Flirting, Kissing, Sokka (Avatar) Ships Zutara, hidden identity, season 1 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27899503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asongofhopeandjoy/pseuds/asongofhopeandjoy
Summary: After finding out he wants to help the gaang defeat his father, Zuko joins the group as The Blue Spirit!However, Katara likes to make it difficult for Zuko to keep his true identity a secret.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Kudos: 69





	Kiss My Mask!

Zuko had zero regrets about joining the gaang as The Blue Spirit.

“All right Strong and Silent Type, let’s get ready to go for our first mission!” Sokka was like the brother he never had and strangely… he enjoyed spending time with him and listening to his weird jokes. But don’t tell Sokka that.

“Are you nervous buddy? There’s absolutely no reason to be, first mission jitters are totally normal.” Zuko patted Aang’s head to show he appreciated the young monk’s kind words. At first the boy’s optimism had endlessly irritated him, but after a few weeks of being exposed to Aang and realising his pleasant personality wasn’t a front for something more sinister, the Avatar had gained his trust.

“And you can always back out now and meet us at our destination.”

Zuko winced.

To anyone else Katara’s offer would have been interpreted as a comrade giving their friend a chance to back out of a mission they might have not wanted to be a part of anymore, but after spending weeks under her watchful eye, Zuko knew better.

Sokka and Aang had accepted Zuko into the group without a problem, but unfortunately Zuko couldn’t say that was the case with Katara.

Zuko was sure that he hadn’t done anything to earn her distrust and yet she never seemed to relax around the newest member of their group. It drove him insane because he was sure she caught him doing something he shouldn’t have, but it wasn’t like he could ask her what he had done so he wouldn’t repeat the same mistake in front of Sokka and Aang!

“Don’t hog the newbie Katara!” Sokka chided his sister, missing the malicious undertones of her comment. “We need all the manpower we can get!”

Zuko resisted the urge to snort at Sokka flexing the noodles he called arm muscles. He had advised the Water Tribe boy on the best foods to eat to gain muscle mass, but nothing ever quite stuck with him. 

“Yeah and you can see your boyfriend AFTER the mission is over.” Aang cheekily added before he leapt out the window for his and Katara’s secret recon mission. Zuko thanked Agni he was wearing a mask so they couldn’t see how red his cheeks were. “Let’s go Katara!”

“Coming!” Katara called out to her friend. “I just need one more thing before we head out.” 

“Like what?” Sokka snorted.

“A good luck kiss for the newbie.”

‘… Huh?’ Zuko’s mind blanked out. If he didn’t have to keep up his ‘strong but silent’ façade to keep his true identity hidden from the group, he’d be screaming “WHAT?!” at the top of his voice, but instead he just stood there like a cat-deer stuck in torchlight.

Or, a cat-deer stuck in the path of a mischievous jaguar. 

He was sure he had stopped breathing when Katara gently cupped his cheek and looked deep into his eyes. Zuko prayed that she wouldn’t spot a hint of gold in his pupils that would have been a dead giveaway for his Fire Nation Royal heritage.

“Don’t get hurt, okay?” The teasing, flirtatious way she uttered that plea / threat would have been enough to finish him off, but she had to finish her killing blow with a soft kiss pressed against his mask’s forehead. “I’ll miss you if you disappear.”

‘I hope so.’ A traitorous part of Zuko’s brain whispered shyly, the heat of the kiss piercing through the mask and making the boy go _hot_. Zuko’s angry, rebellious part of his mind gave that little weasel a good solid kick for reminding them that deep down, Zuko was still a teenager.

Zuko barely heard Sokka groan above all the infighting inside his head: “Don’t worry Katara, I’ll make sure lover boy comes back in one piece.”

“I’ll hold you to that Sokka.” The Water Tribe boy rolled his eyes and shook his head at his sister, who followed Aang outside the window.

“Let’s go buddy.” Sokka was ready to jump out the other window, but noticed his friend was stuck where he stood. “Buddy?”

If Zuko had been a roach fly in the room, he’d have resented the way the other boy shook his head at him, the pity he felt for Zuko as clear as day.

“I guess even the strong and silent types can get butterflies in their stomach.” He grinned and grabbed Zuko’s hand. “You can give my sister a kiss when we get back from our mission. If you even have any lips to kiss her with.”

That struck a nerve.

“I do too have lips to kiss her with!”

‘Oh dear…’ Sokka’s lack of retort alerted Zuko to the fact that he screwed up.

“Not that I would…” the banished prince coughed in a calmer, stoic voice in a sorry attempt to hide how his voice actually sounded.

Sokka rolled his eyes again and smiled at The Blue Spirit. “Sure buddy.”


End file.
